In2theRiver

Good morning from Westminster, MD!

Over the summer, I had the chance to visit Nicaragua and get caught up on all that is happening there. I always leave Nicaragua inspired and this trip was no exception. With that in mind, I want to share a few highlights with you. I hope you enjoy it!

Over the past few years, I have shared many updates on the Frutivera sweet corn project. You may remember that the Frutivera team moved the farm in Veracruz to a new location early in 2024. In the second half of 2024, Frutivera was finally harvesting sweet corn again. As I shared in January, they have continued the cycle of germinating, transplanting, maintaining, harvesting, and selling sweet corn throughout 2025. By planting corn in regular intervals, the Frutivera team is able to continuously harvest and supply corn to their customers. This is an important step in creating a sustainable operation.

Resiliency is the word that resonates with me from my visit this summer. Starting from scratch is not easy, but Josh and the Frutivera team continue to press forward. Recently, Frutivera had setbacks related to the electrical infrastructure and the irrigation system on the new farm. While both issues created challenges, the failure of the well pump presented the biggest threat to the sweet corn operation as it prevented the corn from being watered during a period when rain was spotty at best.

Over the course of the Frutivera sweet corn farm, there have been a few moments when the Frutivera team had to ask themselves if it was worth continuing. This was another one of those moments. As the team reflected on the opportunity they had to be a catalyst for both practical and spiritual hope for so many families in Nicaragua, they were energized. Through prayer and careful consideration, the answer became clear: this was not the end of the Frutivera story! Instead, it was time to take a new step forward.

Although the failure of the well pump was unexpected, the need to eventually upgrade the irrigation system was not. In the end, a larger well pump with more water capacity would be needed to maximize the production at the Frutivera sweet corn farm. To avoid incurring the same expenses twice, the Frutivera team decided now was the time to upgrade the system. In doing so, this would put them in a position to continue to expand the sweet corn operation, as well as add other crops, for years to come. I am happy to report that the upgrade is currently underway, which will allow the Frutivera team to continue their sweet corn planting intervals. Additionally, the necessary changes to the electrical infrastructure are also on their way to being resolved.

Why does this matter? Is sweet corn really that big of a deal? The answer is no, sweet corn isn’t that big of a deal, but the lives it impacts are. This comes back to the word I mentioned earlier: resiliency. In some ways, it would be easier for the Frutivera team to give up. In a place like Nicaragua, failure and hopelessness are a regular part of life. The challenges people face on a daily basis make it difficult to be resilient. This is what makes real hope so critical to creating change. You see, the Frutivera team has real hope that stems from their belief that God created them on purpose and for a purpose, and has given them this real opportunity to make an impact. This pushes them forward and provides them with resiliency to not give up.

I can’t wait to see the hope that overflows from the Frutivera sweet corn farm and the team that leads it!

Frutivera wasn’t the only place I observed resiliency. The same could be said for the NicaBike Shop in Managua and its sister shop, Ciclo Sport, in Bluefields. Now with more than 11 years refurbishing and selling pre-owned bikes in Managua, the NicaBike shop team continues to innovate and improve. With Josh, Flavia, and Jonathan leading the way, the NicaBike Shop is in a new season of growth, using tools such as social media to get the word out about their high quality bikes and services.

Ciclo Sport faces unique challenges in Bluefields as it works to establish a bicycle culture in the Atlantic Coast town. One of their most successful tools has been regular bike excursions with current and future bike enthusiast. Through the bike rides, Andrew and Kingsley have had the opportunity to build relationships with members of the Bluefields community and encourage people to make biking a part of their life. This also accomplishes one of the goals Andrew and his wife, Karen, had when launching the shop. More than just a bike shop, they envisioned Ciclo Sport as a place where people could come together, and be encouraged and reminded that God loves them. I am excited to continue to watch the development of Ciclo Sport!

In January, I shared that the carpentry shop that used to be in El Canon would be relaunched in Ruby Ranch. This would not only allow for the expansion of the carpentry vocational training, it would also allow the equipment to be used to continue the development of the Ruby Ranch property. Now in August, the new carpentry shop is officially built and the equipment is installed! In the coming months it will be used to help build an additional cabin and, in 2026, to begin training people in the surrounding community.

In my book, Hope Realized, I talk about the power of real hope to create real change. The truth is that real, lasting change does not come easy, but the resiliency that is born out of real hope plays a big role in making it a reality. This is what I saw during my visit to Nicaragua. There were many challenges, but people did not give up. Instead, they resiliently pressed forward, taking advantage of the opportunities in front of them, remembering that they were created by a God who loves them and created them on purpose and for a purpose.

Now back from Nicaragua, I am inspired to do the same. After reading it, I hope you are inspired too!

James Belt

​​Click here​ for more resources to help you bring hope to others!